A lawsuit filed on behalf of two Virginia residents is challenging U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to host an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) match at the White House on June 14, marking the first legal challenge to the mixed martial arts event. The fight coincides with Trump's 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The lawsuit argues that Trump lacked proper authorization to host the event, alleging violations of National Park Service regulations that prohibit sporting events on federal parklands. It also claims Congress did not consent to the construction of a towering arch overlooking the event space and that no environmental review was conducted.

“This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain,” said Brendan Ballou, attorney for the plaintiffs. The White House dismissed the lawsuit as “obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory,” asserting the UFC fight is no different from other White House events.

Construction crews are already erecting an octagonal fighting cage on the South Lawn, with Trump promising a “5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.” Attendance will be invite-only, and 1,200 service members given tickets must meet waist-to-height ratio standards, according to Military Times. Public viewing areas will be set up at the nearby Ellipse.

Trump has long been involved with professional wrestling and UFC; his casinos previously hosted events. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is a WWE co-founder, and UFC President Dana White is a close Trump ally. Political analysts credit Trump's embrace of the sport with reaching disaffected male voters during his 2024 campaign.

Source: www.aljazeera.com